Syracuse man gets maximum sentence for 1991 murder of ex-wife

View full sizePeter Chen / The Post-StandardConvicted murderer Johnny Rogers, accompanied by his attorney Michael Vavonese, proclaims his innocence to the court during his murder sentencing in Judge Joseph Fahey's courtroom. Fahey sentenced Rogers to 25 years to life for murdering Princess Thomas 19 years ago.

Syracuse, NY - A Syracuse man was sentenced today to the maximum penalty of 25 years to life in state prison for murdering his ex-wife and removing her unborn child from her womb in 1991.

"It took 19 years to give Princess Thomas justice," First Chief Assistant District Attorney Rick Trunfio said as he asked for that maximum penalty to be imposed on Johnny Rogers.

"He's nothing but a coward. He's a violent coward, but he's nothing but a coward," Trunfio said, noting Rogers had a history of violently abusing every woman in his life.

What Rogers did to Thomas and her fetus was "a new level of brutality," the prosecutor said.

Rogers vehemently denied having anything to do with the murder. He blamed police for being lazy in not properly investigating the case and blaming him.

"I loved my wife," Rogers said, telling County Judge Joseph Fahey he never would have harmed her or her baby.

"I'm a father. I'm a husband. I'm a man of the community," he said.

Fahey, however, said he had no reason to doubt the jury's verdict finding Rogers guilty of second-degree murder. The judge cited occasions in which Rogers chained Thomas to a radiator, threw a chair at her and threw her out of a second-floor window.

The judge said he was imposing the maximum penalty as punishment for murdering Thomas and for the unborn infant's death as well.

"In my judgment, they can keep you until the end of that sentence," the judge told Rogers.

A County Court jury convicted Rogers Oct. 28 after deliberating over part of two days. Rogers, 45, had been arrested late last year after authorities reviewed the case as a Cold Case and brought a murder charge against him.

Thomas, 23, was 7 months pregnant when her body was found Sept. 22, 1991, under brush and trash off South Clinton Street. The fetus had been removed from her womb and was laid on Thomas' shoulder and neck.

The baby was not Rogers' child and he repeatedly questioned today in court why authorities didn't take a harder look at Thomas' boyfriend - who was the father of the baby - as the possible killer.

The case got renewed attention in 2007 after police were informed that Rogers had threatened to do to a new girlfriend the same thing he had done to his former wife.

In court today, Trunfio commended the police who investigated the case back in 1991 and again in 2007. Several of those officers were in court for Rogers' sentencing.

Trunfio said that should serve as a notice to the community that the victims of such crimes are not forgotten by the police, even when the victim was, like Thomas, a prostitute with a drug addiction.

The case file may have sat on a shelf, but the death of Thomas had never been forgotten, Trunfio told Fahey.

Trunfio said Rogers deserved "every minute" of the maximum sentence for what he did to Thomas and for his life continuing to prey on other woman.

Rogers then delivered a lengthy defense of himself, noting that he had spent the past 19 years since Thomas' death raising his two children who are now 21 and 22.

"You have the wrong man," he said, noting authorities had no DNA or other forensic evidence tying him to the crime.

Rogers admitted he may have done a lot of bad things in his past. He also admitted he may have abused Thomas and other women. But he steadfastly maintained he did not kill her.

He said the problems he had with Thomas were the result of his efforts to get her off the street and off of drugs.

"You're looking at an innocent man standing here," he told Fahey. "I will be back."